The Shield's Despair
"Do whatever you want," Regina said, taking a step back.
It was morally questionable, but as long as they didn't get caught, it didn't matter. Drugs and hypnosis. With these two at their disposal, today's incident could easily be buried in silence. Besides, they were both girls, so it should be fine, right?
"But don't go too far. Don't cross the line."
"He-he-he."
Seri let out a sly giggle. She didn't seem to have listened at all. Regina massaged her temples. Well, whatever. She had warned her, so she had fulfilled her bare minimum moral obligation.
Once the zipper was pulled all the way down, the tracksuit parted to both sides. A sweet scent wafted from her pale, bare skin. Seri slowly leaned forward and buried her face in Lucia's collarbone.
"Haa..."
Seri took a deep breath. Does she not use body wash? The distinct, natural scent of bare skin, free of any artificial fragrance, brushed against the tip of her nose. Moving up along her neck, she reached her rosy cheeks. The soft, plump, and elastic cheeks were as tender as baby fat. Strands of hair brushed against her fingertips. Seri gently gathered the silky golden locks and tucked them behind Lucia's ear.
Out-of-focus, empty pink eyes. A thread of clear saliva trickled from her slightly parted lips. Seri placed her hand on Lucia's chest. A plain bra shaped her firm cleavage. She carefully reached behind her back. To find the bra's clasp, she briefly pulled Lucia's body into an embrace.
Lucia slumped limply like a doll. As Seri fumbled along her back, her fingertips caught the clasp. A curve formed on her lips as her fingers wiggled. With a soft *click*, the bra unfastened. Deprived of its support, the bra slid down. Thus, her snow-white breasts were revealed. The elegant curves boldly asserted their presence. The sweet fragrance grew even richer.
She loved this moment the most. The moment she could toy with a defenseless, hypnotized person to her heart's content. She hadn't always been like this, but her tastes had twisted ever since the day she was forced to wear the Red Fox Mask. Doing this filled her heart with an inexplicable sense of conquest.
Ah, this person was born to be toyed with by me. She existed to be dominated by me. This body, this mind... they are all mine now.
Whenever those thoughts crossed her mind, a thrilling pleasure made her heart flutter. Hypnosis. In the past, she had hated herself for being born with such an ability, but now she considered it a blessing. What should she do? Where should she start? Anything was possible. Whatever she did would be forgiven. For her ability was the power to dominate consciousness.
Seri smiled, savoring the sensual sensation. She reached toward Lucia's private areas, places that had never been permitted to anyone.
*Knock, knock.*
Just then, a knock echoed at the door. Seri furrowed her brow. The mood she had built up just moments ago was shattered by the sound. She looked up in irritation.
*Knock, knock.*
Another knock sounded.
"Who is it?"
"No idea."
The two looked at each other. They didn't know who it was, but they couldn't let anyone see them like this. Should they pretend no one was here, or should they cast a hypnosis spell? Exchanging silent glances, Regina and Seri quickly dressed Lucia again. They lifted Lucia, laid her on the bed, and walked toward the door.
*Click.*
They unlocked the door. Regina slowly pushed it open. Along with the creaking of the hinges, the view outside came into sight. A small girl stood there. Deep navy-blue hair, like the abyssal depths. Blue and red. A girl with heterochromatic eyes. Aris.
"...What's this? This is supposed to be Lucia's room. Did I come to the wrong place?"
Her other name was Frey.
Three days had passed since the grueling field training.
During that time, Frey hadn't slept a single wink. The last time she had slept was on the day of the field training itself. She had collapsed, losing consciousness, as a consequence of overusing her ability until the capillaries in her eyes burst and she wept tears of blood. Even up to that point, Frey had felt a sense of relief.
The mysterious masked girl. The onslaught of monsters rushing in like a tidal wave. The ferocity of high-ranking monsters she had only ever heard of. It was a series of events that would make even the bold Frey's heart squeeze with anxiety. She choked on her anxiety. The threat to her life was felt tangibly against her skin. Her five senses froze. Her senses had become so hyper-sensitive that they ultimately grew numb.
I have to protect Aris. I am Aris's shield, so I must protect her.
With that single-minded determination, she had fought a desperate battle. And the situation had finally drawn to a close. With the help of the 2nd Unit, who had received Assistant Homeroom Teacher Siul's request for backup, Frey was able to protect the most precious person in her world.
As the tension released, her consciousness drifted away. Frey thought that everything was finally resolved. Some were injured, but no one had died. Everyone was safe. By the time she woke up from her sleep, Aris would have regained consciousness as well. She wanted to see Aris soon. She wanted to hear that girl's voice. Even though they shared the same body and the same voice, Aris was several times cuter and far more lovely.
Feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment, Frey closed her heavy eyelids. When I wake up, Aris will praise me. She'll smile and tell me I did a good job. Just thinking of that girl's smile made all of Frey's hardships and fatigue melt away.
But.
When she opened her eyes the next day, Frey was still alone.
At first, she didn't think much of it. She figured the mental shock must have been immense, so she just needed to wait a little longer. Afternoon came. Evening came. Still, Aris's voice was nowhere to be heard. Midnight came. Dawn came. A faint light rose in the dark sky. Frey called out to her inner self constantly. But there was no response from Aris.
The next day arrived. Morning. Noon. Afternoon. Midnight. Dawn. Morning. Day. Evening. Night.
Aris did not appear.
Inside the small girl's body, only Frey's personality remained. As if it were only natural for one body to possess only one personality. Frey bit her nails. This body was also Aris's body. Uncharacteristic of her usual self, who always fretted over even the tiniest scratch on Aris, she bit her nails until they were completely tattered.
"Aris... why aren't you answering...?"
Her heart turned ice-cold. Anxiety became a needle, piercing her heart. A terror she hadn't felt even when her life was threatened swallowed Frey whole. Aris... where did you go? You're still inside me, right? Right? Why won't you wake up?
This was a first. This was the first time she was truly 'alone' in the literal sense. Aris had always been with her. No matter where she went, even if there was no one else around, Frey was always with her precious other half. She hadn't been lonely. Frey didn't know what loneliness felt like. Even if she understood it intellectually, it had remained strictly in the realm of knowledge.
But now, Frey felt lonely for the first time. A solitude she thought she would never know in her entire life. A piercing coldness stripped away Frey's warmth.
"Are you mad at me for something? I'm sorry. I'll apologize. I'll apologize for everything, so... no. Aris, please. Don't leave me alone..."
Until now, she had thought she was the one protecting Aris. That Aris couldn't survive without her. That the girl absolutely needed her. But only after Aris actually vanished did she realize it was the exact opposite. I wasn't the one protecting Aris. Rather, Aris was the one protecting me.
Frey wrapped her trembling arms around herself. A pain like sandpaper scraping against her internal organs brought hot tears to her eyes. I can't do this without Aris. Without Aris, I am nothing. I am the shield that protects Aris, the sword that defends her. If the very being I'm supposed to protect isn't here, what meaning is there?
*Crunch.*
In the end, she bit past her nails and gnawed on her fingers. Thick blood welled up along with a burning pain from her index and middle fingers, which were now covered in teeth marks. The taste of blood spread in her mouth. But Frey didn't care. The pain in her heart was several times, dozens of times, hundreds of times more agonizing than a mere hurt finger.
It was only after her palms were drenched in blood that Frey snapped out of it. It wasn't because of the pain of the wounds. If Aris came back and saw her hands like this, Aris would feel the pain. She didn't want that. She hated the thought of Aris hurting. But Aris was gone. She left me behind. Where did she go? Did she disappear forever? No. I hate that. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.
If anyone has to disappear, it should be me. This body belongs to Aris. The personality known as Frey is merely a secondary personality that developed later. Everything about this body, from head to toe, is Aris's possession. Even the heat ray she used was Aris's supernatural ability. It wasn't Frey's. Everything she used was nothing more than a loan from Aris—
"Huh?"
Wait. A sudden realization struck Frey. It felt as if lightning had flashed through her mind.
"Supernatural ability... Yes, supernatural ability!"
Supernatural abilities were powers that resided in the spirit, not the physical body. That meant if a person had two personalities, it was entirely possible for a single body to possess two supernatural abilities.
"The heat ray isn't my ability!"
The heat ray was Aris's supernatural ability. Frey's supernatural ability was a completely separate power.
With blood-stained hands, she threw open the window. Leaning out, she unleashed the supernatural ability toward the sky. A red heat ray shot out, using her right eye as the firing point. Watching the crimson light soar as if to touch the very edge of the heavens, Frey cried out in sheer ecstasy.
"Aris hasn't disappeared! She's still inside me!"
Frey's legs gave out, and she slumped to the floor. She had been constantly anxious until now, terrified that Aris might have vanished forever. Her terror had stemmed from the dread that Aris's absence might not be temporary, but permanent. But there was absolutely nothing wrong with the supernatural ability. Aris's personality still existed. She was just not responding.
"But why...?"
Where did Aris go? Into the depths of her mind? Had she retreated so deep into her inner self that even Frey, her other personality, couldn't find her?
Now that Aris's existence was proven, Frey, feeling much calmer, treated her hands first with a first-aid kit. Even as she did so, her mind continued to spin with complex thoughts. What caused Aris to become like this?
That girl had collapsed, unable to withstand an immense mental shock. She had lost consciousness as if the very life force was draining from her body. What was the reason for that? On the bus. The masked girl attacked. After the teachers were subdued. The crushing pressure on their shoulders made it hard to even breathe. In the end, Lucia stepped forward—
"Lucia."
Lucia, who had stepped forward to protect everyone, had her head severed. The head had rolled right to Aris's feet. Their eyes had met. Aris's eyes, and Lucia's severed head.
"...She's alive. Lucia didn't die."
But Aris didn't think so. She believed Lucia was dead. Because, logically, it was impossible for a decapitated person to be alive. The death of her friend. Aris's mind couldn't bear it and collapsed.
Frey staggered to her feet. Having barely eaten anything for three days, she had no strength. She tossed the first-aid kit aside and slipped on her shoes. Frey furrowed her brow, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.
Lucia. If she was the cause, then she had to be the solution as well. It had to be that way.